Car health checks to take during lockdown

While we may all be on lockdown during these unprecedented times, keeping your car in tip-top condition is still a necessity in case you need to use it for essential trips, such as food or pharmacy shops.

Here are some important tips and tricks you can do at home to make sure your car is as safe as possible during the lockdown:

If your car is not going to be used for the time being, you could disconnect your car’s battery during the lockdown to ensure the battery doesn’t go flat, however we strongly advise you check this with the manufacturer before doing so, as this can cause problems to some modern vehicles. You can also start the car once every couple of days and let it idle for some time, this will also keep your battery from depleting. Another tip is to turn the air conditioning on while you are doing this so that any dust gets blown out.

Make sure your car is parked in a safe covered area. If you don’t have covered parking, then keep the car covered. This will protect it from bird droppings or sunlight that could damage the paint. Also ensure you remove all litter or food items from your car that might leave a bad smell and may attract rats or mice.

Petrol stations may soon close, so it’s wise to ensure you have a full tank of petrol to do your essential trips. Plus if there is less fuel in your car, in time the air above the fuel could cause condensation which could potentially lead to rusting.

In the event that your car does breakdown while you’re out shopping for essentials, ensure you have the following items in your car as you would’ve normally in a pre-lockdown situation, including; water bottles, gloves, safety blankets, first aid kits and booster cables.

Make sure your tyres are inflated at the correct pressure. When kept standing for a long time the tyres could lose air pressure and keeping them inflated helps prevent cracking of the sidewalls.

Avoid engaging the handbrake when leaving the car idle as it could get jammed. It’s always best to leave the car in gear or parking mode if you’re able to. For additional safety, you could also use wheel chocks, such as a big piece of wood or brick to keep the car from rolling.

No matter what vehicle you have Sterling has you covered, with various insurance policies to help you during these unprecedented times.